Black GOP Stars Rise In A Party That's Still Awkwardly White

With his outspoken conservative views, Dr. Ben Carson is a hit among Republicans. He spoke at the Conservative Political Action Conference last week.

Susan Walsh
/ AP

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Originally published on March 9, 2014 12:00 pm

Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul's straw poll victory at last week's Conservative Political Action Conference wasn't unexpected for the presidential contender. In third place, however, was a surprise finisher.

Dr. Ben Carson is one of a handful of black Republicans that conservatives are buzzing about this year. While the GOP has made strides in cultivating viable black candidates, the party still has difficulty resonating with black voters.

He may not have the rock-star status of top conservatives like Paul or Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, but Carson's following is growing.

"He has to win," says Helena Ciaramilla, who got her picture snapped with Carson at a book signing. Ciaramilla was passing out bumper stickers that said, "Run Ben Run."

"He's our destiny," she said. "He's the only man who can unite this country."

The world-renowned neurosurgeon won over legions of conservatives by denouncing Obamacare last year, with the president sitting just a few feet away. He attacks the media, preaches a message of self-reliance and shuns political correctness.

That's prompted some to urge Carson to run for the GOP nomination in 2016. He spoke Saturday on CPAC's final day.

"Of course, gay people should get the same rights as everyone else," he told conservatives. "But they don't get extra rights. They don't get to redefine marriage."

Carson is not the only black Republican building a national following. South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott is the current standard bearer for black conservatives. His call for smaller government, with a dig at the president, hit the right notes earlier this week.

"The success of our economy is seen in the size of our ideas, not in the size of our tax bills," Scott said. "We need to cut our taxes, not raise them, like President Obama wants to."

The conference attendees tend to skew younger and overwhelmingly white, which is why jokes like these go over so well:

"Some of y'all don't want Obamacare to increase the tax on tanning beds," Scott said. "Now please note, I said 'some of y'all.' I don't really care about that tax. Just joking, just joking. You got to have a some fun when you come to CPAC right?"

Those jokes, however, hide an awkward truth. Even as some black candidates are hitting their stride, the Republican Party's standing among African-Americans is abysmal. Mitt Romney won a mere 7 percent of the black vote in 2012.

The mood turned serious during a panel called "Reaching Out." GOP political consultant Jason Roe served as moderator.

"The way the demographics are changing in the United States," Roe said, "if we don't change, we won't be relevant to the national debate."

That's essentially the same conclusion the RNC came to in its autopsy report on the 2012 presidential election loss.

Antawan Copeland, an African-American who is attending his first CPAC, says he's been a Republican for at least 15 years.

"I don't think they've made any new strides in my neighborhood," Copeland said. "I don't see everyone in the black community rushing out to become Republicans."

So just how far does the GOP need to travel? Look no further than Copeland's fiance, Carol Smith. Carol is actually her middle name; she doesn't want to give her full name, she says.

"Because I'm not ready to be outted," she says. "I'm not ready to come out of the Democratic closet."

Smith says she's gotten a warm reception from CPAC attendees, but the social stigma of the Republican label is too much to bear right now.

It's hard, as a black woman, she says, to say she's no longer a die-hard Democrat.

"In private, no, but in public, yes," she says. "When I have these conversations with friends and family, I'm vilified."

Copyright 2014 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.

Transcript

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:

This is WEEKEND EDITION from NPR News. I'm Rachel Martin.

And the three-day Conservative Political Action Conference known as CPAC ended yesterday. Firebrand Senator Rand Paul from Kentucky beat out a crowded field in the annual straw poll. The surprise finisher in third place was Dr. Ben Carson. He's one of a handful of black Republicans conservatives are buzzing about this year. While the GOP has made strides in cultivating viable black candidates, the party still has difficulty resonating with African-American voters.

NPR's Brakkton Booker was at the annual gathering and has the story.

BRAKKTON BOOKER, BYLINE: He may not yet have the rock star status here at CPAC of top conservatives like Senator Ted Cruz of Texas or Kentucky's Rand Paul. But Dr. Ben Carson's following is growing.

HELENA CIARAMILLA: He has to win. He's our destiny. He's the only man who that can unite this country.

BOOKER: Helena Ciaramilla just got her picture snapped with Carson at a book signing. She's now passing out bumper stickers that say: Run Ben Run.

The world renowned neurosurgeon won over legions of conservatives by denouncing Obamacare last year, with the president sitting just a few feet away. He attacks the media, preaches a message of self-reliance and shuns political correctness. That's prompted some to urge Carson to run for the GOP nomination in 2016. Here he is speaking Saturday on CPAC's finale.

DR. BEN CARSON: Of course, gay people should get the same rights as everyone else. But they don't get extra rights. They don't get to redefine marriage.

(APPLAUSE)

BOOKER: Carson is not the only black Republican building a national following. South Carolina Senator Tim Scott is the current standard bearer for black conservatives. His message of a smaller government, with a well-timed dig at the president, hit all the right notes earlier this week.

SENATOR TIM SCOTT: The success of our economy is seen in the size of our ideas, not in the size of our tax bills. We need to cut our taxes, not raise them like President Obama wants to.

(APPLAUSE)

BOOKER: The conference attendees tend to skew younger and are overwhelmingly white, which is why jokes like these go over so well.

SCOTT: And some of y'all don't want Obamacare to increase the taxes on the tanning beds...

(SOUNDBITE OF SCREAM)

SCOTT: Now, please note I said some of y'all.

(LAUGHTER)

SCOTT: I don't really care about that tax. Just joking, just joking, just joking. You got to have some fun when you're at CPAC, right?

BOOKER: Those jokes, however, hide an awkward truth. Even as some black candidates are hitting their stride, the Republican Party's standing among African-Americans is abysmal. Mitt Romney won a mere 7 percent of the black vote.

The mood at CPAC turned serious during a panel called Reaching Out. GOP political consultant Jason Roe served as moderator.

JASON ROE: And the way the demographics are changing in the United States, if we don't change, we will not be relevant to the national debate.

BOOKER: That's essentially the same conclusion the RNC came to in its autopsy report on the 2012 presidential election loss.

Antawan Copeland, an African-American who is attending his first CPAC, says he's been a Republican for at least 15 years.

ANTAWAN COPELAND: I don't think they've made any new strides in my neighborhood. I don't see everyone in the black community rushing out to become Republicans.

BOOKER: So just how far does the GOP need to travel? Look no further than Copeland's fiancee, Carol Smith. Carol is actually her middle name. She didn't want to give her full name.

CAROL SMITH: Because I'm not ready to be outed. I'm not ready to come out the Democratic closet.

(LAUGHTER)

BOOKER: She's says she's gotten a warm reception from CPAC attendees, but the social stigma of being labeled a Republican is too much to bear right now.

Is it hard as a black woman to say, you know what, I'm no longer a diehard democrat, I'm now starting to look elsewhere?

SMITH: In private, no. But in public, yes.

(LAUGHTER)

SMITH: When I have these conversations with friends and family, I'm vilified.

BOOKER: That's the challenge still facing Republican Party leaders. The party is beginning to produce top black candidates, but that's only half the battle.